“Lady Petra?! Petra van Sokovar ?! Here ?! In my house !”

She put her hands before her mouth and wide opened her eyes. Well someone didn’t change, not even a bit. Troy warmly welcomed her with two noisy kisses on each one of her cheeks. XIth legion Legatus Troy van Brachium. He freshly got the job few weeks ago. Petra didn’t know him very well. She tutored him few weeks when they were in SGMU. He wasn’t a bad guy. Smug, annoying and quite exuberant for sure but not vicious or evil.

“You cut your hair ! Nice !”

“You like it ?”

“Yeah, it highlights your cheekbones and your eyes.”

Since she cut her hair, Lady Petra was waiting for a compliment of the sort. She would have never expected that that Troy would be the one giving this compliment. She lowed her head and had a satisfying smile. Petra felt a sweet shiver on her cheek, Troy was fondling it. With delicacy, she removed his hand. Troy keep holding her hand and led her to the living room.

“So why visiting me ?”

He was very carefree like clueless of anything that was happening in court lately. Petra was quite amazed. He was living her in Sniflheim contrary to her and spending a certain amount of time at Court. Was he really unaware ? Or he just didn’t care ? For a man of his rank, it was unacceptable for her.

“I’m here to tell you to pledge your allegiance to Prince Varis.”

Troy undying smile faded. He seemed disappointed. He left himself fall in his sofa and took his head on his hand.

“My my Petra, I truly believed you were here to take some news of me but it’s all about the Galvus.”

“Troy, the Princes are fighting each other for the throne. We are on the verge of an imminent war. Varis is our best chance.”

“Says, who ? What do you have against Prince Titus all of the sudden ? You want me to support Prince Varis, ready to make war because he couldn’t wait his turn for the throne ? And you, you think I don’t see what you are doing ? Better take Daddy-in-law side to be next on line for the throne once you will wed Zenos huh ?”

Absolutely not ! Zenos and I we are done ! Give me a break with that !”

She lost her tempered and yelled. Was it frustration because what Troy said would never be true ? Of course she dreamed many nights about her wedding with Zenos and her life at Court as the Princess of Garlemald. Now, all of this belonged to the past and will be forever a dream. It filled her heart with sorrow.

“You’re telling me you gave up the idea to be the Princess of Garlemald ? Every Garlean girl dreams to be a princess. My sister Hippolyta is ten and she can’t shut up about her master plan to marry Zenos ten years later.”

Petra relaxed imagining the little Lady Hippolyta writing a diary about how she could seduce Zenos. They should meet some time, she thought, amused. In any case Petra shouldn’t forget the purpose of her visit.

“I will never be the Princess of Garlemald and that’s not the point. I want to prevent innocents to die, innocents like your sister and civilians. We have the power to stop this. Especially you Troy, leader of one of the largest legion. Send half of your men. It will send a strong message.”

“Half of my men. Ha ! We don’t need that much. I didn’t say yes by the way. I don’t want to participate to this. Some of the soldiers are former classmates from SGMU. Some their siblings, their parents. I don’t feel participating to this.”

She could relate to his feeling. Petra felt the same. She sat next to him on the sofa. Gently she interlaced her fingers with his and pressed his leg.

“Please Troy, I hope you are the man I imagine.”

Charmed by the distress of Lady Petra’s voice, he moaned, desperate to kiss her. He approached her and put his forehead against her and whispered to her.

“The quarter of my men at one condition ; you are… fighting ! With you by our side who needs many men ? The Lady Legatus, THEE one and only is joining the fray ! “

Lady Petra promptly stepped away, astonished. He was back with his carefree smile. Was it a game for him ? How such an immature man managed to be a Legatus ? She tried to hide the disgust in her eyes and continue her operation seduction.

“Alright. I’ll do it and if we win this war I will personally reward you.”

Petra came back close to him, slowly climbing her fingers on Troy’s chest. She could feel Troy’s heart racing faster. She kissed his forehead and bit his left ear then whispered to him.

“I will kiss you, with the tongue. See you in the battlefield handsome.”

“Lady Petra… !”

Troy van Brachium watched Petra van Sokovar leave ; powerless but satisfied.